The Reason I Regret My Tattoos

The Reason I Regret My Tattoos

The addiction is too real.
Morgan R Snead
Morgan R Snead Jun 1, 2016
447
views

Let's be real. Putting something so permanent on my body was absolutely...the best decision of my life. They’re my favorite.
I'm often asked by people that see my tattoos, “But why would you get that on your skin?” Or, “what are you going to school for?” Or, “you have so many.” Or, “what do they mean?” Or, “you really think you will want that on your skin forever?” Or even, “laser removal hurts a lot I heard…”

You see, these people look at my tattoos and assume things about me: I will have a hard time finding a job, that I must be too ignorant to know what the word permanent means, and that I am a young person making choices because it’s “cool”.

Every one of my tattoos means something to me, but even if they did not mean anything to me, it should not be other’s concern. Frankly, that is because it is on my body, not yours. My tattoos are a piece of art.

1. They help tell my testimony.

When I got my first tattoo almost 3 years ago, I would have never thought I would have as many as I do now, but I also never knew what life was going to throw at me. My tattoos show my story in ways that words cannot. My tattoos show my hurt and pain, but mostly they show my growth and strength. They give me constant reminders of how to fight every day and enjoy life thoroughly.

2. They are conversation starters.

Anywhere I go: church, elevators, grocery stores, restaurants, class, the mall, etc., someone is bound to ask about or look at my tattoos. I thoroughly enjoy all of the attention that I get because of them. I can ask about other’s tattoos or they ask about mine. I get asked what they mean and I am able to explain little parts about what they mean to me, which allows others to talk about their lives as well. I’ve made a lot of friends because of my tattoos.

3.Children LOVE my tattoos.

Mine are mostly in black and white, so they love to color them. They also like to trace the lines with their fingers as if they are drawing them. Children have a lot of questions in general, but when they see someone with tattoos when they are not used to it, they have even more. This allows us to teach children about acceptance of everyone no matter what they have on the outside i.e. scars, tattoos, colored hair, skin tone, piercings, and so on.

4. It is a new time, where things such as tattoos and piercings are becoming more acceptable.

I know a lot of teachers, principals, doctors, and other professionals that have tattoos, and it is not looked down upon. People are beginning to understand that it is a way that people express themselves. As long as they are not offensive, I do not think they should be a barrier for career options, but I do realize that is seen as unprofessional at times when you do have tattoos. This is why my tattoos are in places that will never be shown through my professional attire. It ensures that my career will not be affected by the tattoos on my skin.

5. This is my body. I’m tired of being told what I can and cannot do with my body.

If I want to decorate my body in tattoos, then I should be able to without judgment. We should all start to love people for what they bring to the table and stop judging them for the ways in which they are different than us.

6. Even if I decide that whatever I got one day was not the right choice, it was a time of my life that I can look back on and be thankful for.

Each tattoo of mine is significant to me and my past. No matter what, they remind me of where I have come from and how much I have grown, so they will always be important and worth getting.

Support local business and go get some tattoos. Put art on your body and show the world that it’s your body, so you can do what you want with it. Always try to be careful about the placement of the tattoos if you are young because it can impact your future, but ultimately it is entirely up to you where and what you want to put on your body. Be smart and be sure that you get what you love and something you will want forever. Love your body and love your art. Tell your story and show it off to the world in whatever ways you know best, I know I will.



Cover Image Credit: Morgan Snead
Morgan R Snead
Morgan R Snead Jun 1, 2016
At Illinois State University

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20 Small Tattoos With Big Meanings

Tattoos with meaning you can't deny.
Samantha Williams
Samantha Williams Dec 23, 2014
800048
views

It's tough to find perfect tattoos with meaning. You probably want something permanent on your body to mean something deeply, but how do you choose a tattoo that will still be significant in 5, 10, 15, or 50 years? Over time, tattoos have lost much of their stigma and many people consider them a form of art, but it's still possible to get a tattoo you regret. So here are 20 tattoos where you can't go wrong. Here are 20 small tattoos with big meanings. (But don't blame me if you still have to deal with questions that everyone with a tattoo is tired of hearing!).

SEE RELATED: "Please Stop Asking What My Tattoos Mean"

1. A semi-colon indicates a pause in a sentence but does not end. Sometimes it seems like you may have stopped, but you choose to continue on.



2. "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."



3. Top symbol: unclosed delta symbol which represents open to change. Bottom symbol: strategy.



4. "There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."



5. Viking symbol meaning "create your own reality."



6.Greek symbol of Inguz: where there's a will, there's a way.

7. Psalm 18:33 "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights."



8. 'Ohm' tattoo that represents 4 different states of consciousness and a world of illusion: waking (jagrat), dreaming (swapna), deep sleep (sushupti), transcendental state (turiya) and world of illusion (maya)



9. Alchemy: symbolizes copper, means love, balance, feminine beauty and artistic creativity.



10. The Greek word “Meraki” means to do something with soul, passion, love and creativity or to put yourself in to whatever you do.



11. Malin (Skövde, Sweden) – you have to face setbacks to be able to go forward.

12. Symbol meaning "thief" from the Hobbit. It was the rune Gandalf etched into Bilbo's door so the dwarves could find his house.



13. “Lux in tenebris” means “light in darkness.”

14. Anchor Tattoo: symbolizing strength & stability, something (or someone) who holds you in place, and provides you the strength to hold on no matter how rough things get.

15."Ad Maiora” is translated literally as “Towards greater things.” It is a formula of greeting used to wish more success in life, career or love.



16. A glyphs means “explore.” It was meant as a reminder for me to never stop exploring.

17. "Aut inveniam viam aut faciam," meaning roughly, "Either I shall find a way, or I will make one."



18. Lotus Flower. It grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the flower’s first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment.

19. The zen (or ensō) circle to me represents enlightenment, the universe & the strength we all have inside of us.

20. Two meanings. The moon affirms life. It looks as if it is constantly changing. Can reminds us of the inconsistency of life. It is also symbolizes the continuous circular nature of time and even karma.


SEE ALSO: Sorry That You're Offended, But I Won't Apologize For My Tattoos

Samantha Williams
Samantha Williams Dec 23, 2014
At @university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign

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Kylie Jenner, Thanks For Getting Your Lip Fillers Dissolved, But It's Too Little Too Late

We see stars everywhere coming out and talking about their insecurities about their bodies, and it makes them a bit more down-to-earth and human. Kylie Jenner, however, hasn't done this.

Lanette Mantle
Lanette Mantle Jul 16, 2018
5
views

This won't be a hate article, talking about how much I don't like the Kardashians or whatever, because I feel like I've done that enough in most of my racially-heated articles. However, this particular article isn't about race or cultural appropriation that the Kardashian-Jenner sisters (ESPECIALLY Kylie and Kim) are most known for.

In this article, I'm going to talk about the negative effects Kylie's transformations have had on girls everywhere who follow her on Instagram, and the implications that they have on modern day society.

Within the past 10-20 years, the number of cosmetic surgeries has drastically increased in the United States. Lip augmentation, which Kylie Jenner has made "famous," has increased by 50% since 2000. Apparently, 27,000 lip injection procedures had taken place in 2015, but this yearly number has probably increased since then.

For those who were not as rich, the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge, where participants would suck the air out of a shot glass on their lips was an alternative. However, this challenge can lead to dangerous consequences that include bruising, pain, swelling, and possibly permanent damage to the lips.

But what's most damaging about the fact that Kylie Jenner had her lips done (and lied about it for a long time), is the effect it has on girls and guys who admire her. In a book, I talked about in one of my articles by Joan Jacobs Brumberg, called The Body Project, Brumberg talks about how the self-esteem in teens and young adults has drastically decreased since the 90's. It's probably because of the rise of social media and the "perfect bodies" we see as we scroll down our timelines every day.

Kylie Jenner had said that she had first gotten her lips done at 15 because her crush had made her feel bad about her lips. So she immediately went to go get them done.

By doing this, Kylie was sending out a tragic message to everyday people.

The message is that if you're not happy with something about your body, you must change it, instead of embracing it. Imagine if Kylie had embraced her thin lips? I'm sure that she could have still had a successful lipstick company. I'm sure all of her successes would still be present in her life. But I'm sure she would have an even bigger fanbase, not because of how great her lips look, but because she had an insecurity and decided to embrace it.

We see stars everywhere coming out and talking about their insecurities about their bodies, and it makes them a bit more down-to-earth and human. Kylie Jenner, however, hasn't done this. Even after her pregnancy, everyone was applauding her because her body was "snatched" and "bounced back quickly," even though most of us know it was probably surgery. I mean, come on. Is she really trying to fool us about losing all 40 pounds that she gained after giving birth? I don't think so.

But regardless, imagine if she had embraced her post-pregnancy body. She could give other people the confidence out there to not be ashamed of themselves because they literally had a human growing inside of them, and it's okay to gain a few pounds. Same with her lips. If she had just kept them the way they were, more people wouldn't be inclined to do these dangerous challenges and procedures because they too, would feel confident in how they look.

Kylie's lips created a whole new idea about what it means to be beautiful and accepted in this society (even if said standards were present before, but not praised because it was on CERTAIN people).

I applaud Kylie Jenner for finally taking out her lip injections, but I also feel like it's a little too late for the sake of people's self-esteem and attitudes about beauty.

Cover Image Credit:

@kyliejenner / Instagram

Lanette Mantle
Lanette Mantle Jul 16, 2018
At Rutgers University

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